Michael Rappaport

For about 30 years, I published something at least five days a week. Never got any royalties, but that's what happens when you write for daily newspapers. Did nearly everything including sweeping the floor in seven different states and worked for at least two newspapers that no longer exist.

I've had a life where so many things sort of worked out. For example, my goal was always to return to California, the state of my birth, to live and work. It happened, although my goal of the Bay Area wound up being Los Angeles and its eastern suburbs. San Bernardino County, to be exact.

I married a woman I loved, got my heart broken by her in 1979 but then found the love of my life in 1992 and will have been married to her for 30 years this November. I actually married two archetypes -- California girl and French woman.

I had some of the greatest experiences you can have as a sportswriter -- World Series, Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, Rose Bowl and a host of other lesser events. I covered many of the greatest athletes of my time. I saw Magic Johnson break the career assists record, Michael Jordan lead a great comeback for the Tar Heels, Fernando Valenzuela pitch a no-hitter, John Elway lead amazing comebacks at Mile High Stadium.

My books come under the heading of all things coming to he who waits. "The System" was published in the summer of 2021, but was a collaboration with my friend Bill Madden (the funniest person I know) and the first draft was written in 1982. "A Whiter Shade of Pale," published in February 2022, was first-drafted in 1991. I owe so much to my son-in-law Johnathan Roy, who got both of them published for me.

And of course there is my dedication in the second book, to my wife of 29 years Nicole, who makes everything possible.